Having won the mixed doubles gold medal, both Shasha and Datou felt a slight easing of the burdens on their shoulders. Two hours later, they were scheduled to play their respective men's and women's singles quarterfinals. Another two hours after that, the men's and women's doubles semifinals would begin.
Dealing with jet lag, fighting continuous battles, and playing four or even five matches in a single day—this was the sweet burden of the victors.
In the women's singles quarterfinals, Shasha faced the world's number one defensive player, veteran German player Han Ying. While others found it difficult to play against defensive players, Shasha handled it with ease because she played unpredictably, often winning points outright with a single looping shot or forcing errors with wide, angled drives. Half an hour later, Shasha won 11-6, 11-8, 11-6, 11-5, taking the match 4-0 to advance to the next round.
Chapter 415